[brunobm]

Using iPhone 15 Pro > Qudelix 5k > IE 600

I feel like until I significantly raise the volume, music sounds kinda thin. I can feel the very low rumble (more so than hear it if you know what I mean), and I get a lot of treble. But everything in between kinda disappears until the volume is at a loud level.

This means that my experience blasting these at the gym during lifting is pretty amazing (no sweating involved before someone freaks out), but that they're a no-go for lying in bed and relaxing to music after a tiring day.

Is this a byproduct of tuning?

 

[o0genesis0o]

Is this a byproduct of tuning?

Yup

Since you have the Q5k, you can try a peak filter around 3kHz relatively wide Q value, and pull the whole thing down by maybe 3dB. The balance between upper and lower mid should be better, leading to a “thicker” mid.

 

[archdawg]

Using iPhone 15 Pro > Qudelix 5k > IE 600

I feel like until I significantly raise the volume, music sounds kinda thin. I can feel the very low rumble (more so than hear it if you know what I mean), and I get a lot of treble. But everything in between kinda disappears until the volume is at a loud level.

This means that my experience blasting these at the gym during lifting is pretty amazing (no sweating involved before someone freaks out), but that they're a no-go for lying in bed and relaxing to music after a tiring day.

Is this a byproduct of tuning?

Are you sure your set is authentic? There are tons of fakes on the market, I've just been offered a faked set a couple days ago.

 

[brunobm]

Are you sure your set is authentic? There are tons of fakes on the market, I've just been offered a faked set a couple days ago.

Yea got it from sennheiser directly

 

[BS5711]

Do you definitely have a good seal with the ear tips ?

I don't find the IE600 thin at all but I have read comments where people say that about them.

I do find them fussy in terms of getting tips that seal well because they sit shallow in my ears and bigger tips than usual are needed to fill the wider part of the outer ear canal.

Many complain about the stock tips.

Have you tried plenty of other tips and are perhaps using a size bigger than might be needed on a deep fitting IEM ?

 

[dunring]

I've had them and never noticed it, but I always run on a pretty powerful amplifier. Are you plugging into the 2.5mm balanced to get the full power from it? You can tell fakes on those because the grills are usually grey, not black. Also the tips are rounded and not flat, and the hologram is painted and not a real hologram on the cable splitter. Are you using FLAC? Those are very revealing and a poorly encoded MP3 is going to sound really lame.

 

[Somafunk]

Yup

Since you have the Q5k, you can try a peak filter around 3kHz relatively wide Q value, and pull the whole thing down by maybe 3dB. The balance between upper and lower mid should be better, leading to a “thicker” mid.

What he said ^ the ie600 are quite “well rounded” in the mids so drop it down and you’ll notice more definition in the bass, you could raise 30hz/40hz with a peak filter of 2db and a narrow q, I don’t know how the Q5k implements its q factor so can’t advise on it specifically.

The distortion in the ie600 and driver response should easily handle a good play around with filters till you feel a defined punch in the bass.

 

[MudEnjoyer]

Using iPhone 15 Pro > Qudelix 5k > IE 600

I feel like until I significantly raise the volume, music sounds kinda thin. I can feel the very low rumble (more so than hear it if you know what I mean), and I get a lot of treble. But everything in between kinda disappears until the volume is at a loud level.

This means that my experience blasting these at the gym during lifting is pretty amazing (no sweating involved before someone freaks out), but that they're a no-go for lying in bed and relaxing to music after a tiring day.

Is this a byproduct of tuning?

The Sennheiser IE 200 and 600 are tuned like ChiFi so yes, it’s normal. Learn from your mistake and buy something better next time instead of listening to random reviewers with questionable music taste.

 

[brunobm]

Do you definitely have a good seal with the ear tips ?

I don't find the IE600 thin at all but I have read comments where people say that about them.

I do find them fussy in terms of getting tips that seal well because they sit shallow in my ears and bigger tips than usual are needed to fill the wider part of the outer ear canal.

Many complain about the stock tips.

Have you tried plenty of other tips and are perhaps using a size bigger than might be needed on a deep fitting IEM ?

I am using the stock foam tips precisely because the silicone ones don't give me a good seal. It's the most comfortable IEM ever, but since the nozzle is very short it's tough to get the seal. I have not tried other tips, mainly because the foam one seals well, but also because the stock ones have a soft mesh that I am guessing does something to the sound, and I think that if I go to an aftermarket one it might sound different from what the brand intended lol.

I've had them and never noticed it, but I always run on a pretty powerful amplifier. Are you plugging into the 2.5mm balanced to get the full power from it? You can tell fakes on those because the grills are usually grey, not black. Also the tips are rounded and not flat, and the hologram is painted and not a real hologram on the cable splitter. Are you using FLAC? Those are very revealing and a poorly encoded MP3 is going to sound really lame.

Nope, running on 3.5mm. Unfortunately balanced cable that comes with it is 4.4mm, and the stupid Sennheiser MMCX connector prevents me from using my 2-pin Tripowin balanced 2.5mm cable. Quick question tho - can I just plug a 4.4 to 2.5mm adapter to the stock cable and use balanced? If that even exists..

I'm starting to think it's a power issue, here are a couple of thoughts:
1. I'm running it via bluetooth (so limited to AAC) due to convenience. I've done plenty of A/B testing on my desk setup (DX3 Pro+, several IEMs, and my HD6XX) and I honestly can't tell a difference between 320kpbs mp3 (spotify) and hi-res via Qobuz.
2. It's not that the headphone sounds bad. It's just that it needs volume to "open up" the mids, and by the time I get to that volume it's more than I want if I'm looking for relaxing to music. This is of course relative to other IEMs I have, which are the Aful Performer 8 and Softears Studio 4.
3. That being said, just came back from 1h lifting and I was blasting Tim Sweeney's Beats in Space from Apple Music (so 256kbps via AAC), and it was awesome. I pretty much go max volume on the iphone and -4dB on the Q5K, so maybe it is indeed something with power?

I'm going to try A/Bing these "softer", more vocal centric relaxing tracks (i.e. Remember Me from Eivor, or Closer from Ane Brun) from my desktop (DX3 Pro+) which is plenty powerful to see if my impressions remain. Haven't done that before as I only do headphones on my desk setup, and never for critical listening as I'm simultaneously working if I'm at my desk..

 

[MudEnjoyer]

I am using the stock foam tips precisely because the silicone ones don't give me a good seal. It's the most comfortable IEM ever, but since the nozzle is very short it's tough to get the seal.

I have the same issue with the IE300. I can only recommend the Comply foam tips to get a proper seal with such a shallow insert. You can also look into good TWS tips such as AZLA.

 

[BS5711]

I am using the stock foam tips precisely because the silicone ones don't give me a good seal. It's the most comfortable IEM ever, but since the nozzle is very short it's tough to get the seal. I have not tried other tips, mainly because the foam one seals well, but also because the stock ones have a soft mesh that I am guessing does something to the sound, and I think that if I go to an aftermarket one it might sound different from what the brand intended lol.

I would definitely try some different silicone tips, cheap experimentation if nothing else.

I don’t believe you will notice a significant change with more power, everyone says it happens but I think the difference is because volumes are not actually matched and volume makes a big difference in the perception of the sound we hear.

If you struggle for fit the Penon Liqueur work very well. They are s little sticky and of needed come in an XL size, plus they are cheap.

Open tips without the foam inserts of the stock ones make a tiny difference in the treble. You can match the effect of the foam with a narrow strip of micropore tape over the nozzle before installing the tips, only about 3/4 width of the opening.

 

[brunobm]

Circling back. Listened to the same songs with the IE 600 on my desktop + DX3 Pro+, and it sounded fine. Immediately thought "aha, it's power". The I A/B/C'ed against the Studio4 and Aful P8 and went back to thinking that these do a better job with those relaxing songs. And then it occurred to me to do a very efficient A/B between the DX3 Pro+ on my desktop (Hi Res) and the Qudelix 5K playing via bluetooth from my phone. Guess what.. minimal differences if any.

So I decided to do one last test with a relaxing track I discovered recently and like, "Queen of the Sea" by Norah Jones, and I think I know what the IE600 is lacking. This specific song has a bass guitar dictating rhythm and the melody as well. Norah Jones' voice is obviously there, but the bass guitar gives you a sense of humming to the tune alongside her. This is what gets very much pushed to the background with the IE600 and not the other ones. Maybe it is just the tuning afterall..

 

[BS5711]

Circling back. Listened to the same songs with the IE 600 on my desktop + DX3 Pro+, and it sounded fine. Immediately thought "aha, it's power". The I A/B/C'ed against the Studio4 and Aful P8 and went back to thinking that these do a better job with those relaxing songs. And then it occurred to me to do a very efficient A/B between the DX3 Pro+ on my desktop (Hi Res) and the Qudelix 5K playing via bluetooth from my phone. Guess what.. minimal differences if any.

So I decided to do one last test with a relaxing track I discovered recently and like, "Queen of the Sea" by Norah Jones, and I think I know what the IE600 is lacking. This specific song has a bass guitar dictating rhythm and the melody as well. Norah Jones' voice is obviously there, but the bass guitar gives you a sense of humming to the tune alongside her. This is what gets very much pushed to the background with the IE600 and not the other ones. Maybe it is just the tuning afterall..

Yep, and there will be other songs that your other IEM will have shortfalls on as well, just the way of it, no tuning is “best” and perfect for everything.

Track down “I can’t stand the rain” remake by Woong San. Sounds great with the IE600, frankly it sounds pretty good on anything decent.